Tire Replacement and Repair

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Tire Replacement and Tire Repair Service Elizabeth Pa

When it comes to tires and tire replacement, most Elizabeth PA drivers are aware that a good set of brakes is important to help you safely stop, but did you know that your brakes are only as good as your tires tread making contact with the road?

Without good tires, trying to stop in rain, snow or icy conditions can be downright dangerous because of a condition called Hydroplaning. This occurs when the tire’s grooves are so worn down that they can’t get the water out from between the tread and the road. When this happens, your treads literally skate across the water’s surface and the steering wheel won’t respond either.

That’s why regular visits to Elizabeth Auto Care are so important. Every time your car comes in, our expert mechanics will measure and evaluate your tires to determine how much tread life is left on your tires and if they need to be rotated.

Tire Rotation Service – Rotate tires every 6,000 miles

As tires continue to increase in size and cost, it’s more important than ever to make sure you get as many trouble-free miles out of them as possible. Regular tire rotations performed in a half ‘X’ pattern for non-directional tires will ensure that every tire will occupy every corner of the vehicle for maximum wear characteristics.

This is important because many vehicles will have one particular wheel assigned as the main drive wheel that will tend to power and slip the most, causing increased wear on the tire that occupies that position.

If your tires are of the “Directional Rotation” type, they must stay on the same side of the vehicle and cannot be rotated like the diagram shows. These tires are typically more expensive and may not last as long because of this inability to rotate to every wheel position on the vehicle.

We’ve found that regular rotation intervals of 6,000 miles not only allow us to inspect each tire for irregular wear and damage, but will help your tires last longer, too. Checking your tire pressure and inflating to the recommended pressures will provide maximum fuel economy and tire life as well. The 6,000-mile rotation schedule has the added benefit of falling in line with our every other oil change interval, to make best use of each visit to the shop and your time.

How do I know if I need a tire replacement?

When your tire is new, most car passenger tires come with about 11/32” of tread depth. We’ll start recommending new tires around the 4/32” mark and the minimum required tread depth to pass Pennsylvania State Inspection is 2/32″.

Your tires have what’s called tread wear indicators, which is a visible bar across the tread that is 2/32” high to signal its time for new tires. When the top of the wear bars is even with the tread, it means your tires tread depth is at the minimum safe measurement and you are in need of tire replacement.

If your tire’s sidewall is showing any visible bubbles cracks cuts or abrasions; it can be a safety concern as well. Since your tires sidewall has the least amount of rubber and reinforcing cord structure to allow it to flex and absorb impacts like the potholes we experience in the Elizabeth Pa area, any damage can cause a sidewall blowout. Losing a tire while driving on the road is very dangerous resulting in an immediate loss of steering and control.

If you see any of these warning signs on your tires, it’s important to have them checked right away to avoid an emergency situation. Our trained and experienced mechanics will evaluate all of your tires and make the right recommendations based on their condition and your driving needs.

How do I choose the tire that’s right for my car?

With hundreds of name brand and economy tire models available on the market today, it can be pretty confusing considering all the options you have. That’s why we’re here!
At Elizabeth Auto Care, we’ve been helping our customers navigate through these choices, and make the right recommendations based on their driving habits, vehicle needs, and taking into account the road conditions in their neighborhood as well as their driveway access.

Here’s a brief description of just some of your tire options:

All Season Tires: – Most cars, minivans, SUV’s and some pickup trucks come equipped from the factory with an all season radial tire. Remember, the factory is always trying to keep their delivery costs low, so they rarely use the better tires on a new vehicle and may wear out faster than the replacement tires we would install later. Most all-season tires offer acceptable handling, noise, tread life and value for just about every condition a typical passenger car would experience. All season tires are usually designated with the M+S, M/S, or MS for mud and snow, but are not true snow tires. They’re engineered for general year-round use in all temperatures with most weather conditions and pretty much all road surfaces.

Touring Tires: These are designed mostly for sport type sedans and coupes with better handling characteristics that may include improved traction and steering response as well as good wet weather traction.

Performance Tires: These are typically designed for use on sports cars and high performance vehicles like police applications. Performance tires are rated for higher speeds than standard passenger tires and may wear faster due to an improved tread compound. Trading off mileage delivered for better performance characteristics.

Winter Snow Tires: if you need to drive in more severe weather conditions like before the plows are out to clear our Pittsburgh roads, look for a little snowflake emblem stamped on the sidewall to denote snow and ice handling characteristics. Winter tires for passenger cars and trucks offer a softer, stickier rubber that’s formulated for temperatures below 32 degrees. Snow and Ice tires offer maximum grip on cold pavement that may be covered with snow and ice, and often come with the optional holes to install metal studs for added traction on ice.

Off Road Tires: Mostly used for light trucks and SUV’s, these tires are available in both P series for passenger tire use and LT designations that allow for more weight to be carried like a commercial vehicle would need. They are made with a wide variety of tread designs that can accommodate anything from light snow to off road mud conditions.

Wheel Balance: Having your tires balanced regularly will help you avoid that annoying shaking feel at highway speeds. Shaking or vibration in the steering wheel usually means the front tires are out of balance while a shaking sensation in your seat may be your rear tires needing balanced. When driving around the Elizabeth Pa area, it’s not uncommon to hit a pothole and lose a wheel weight, which can make your tires go out of balance. It’s a good idea to rebalance your wheels every time the tires are rotated to ensure the rear tires that are going on the front will be balanced right.

Tire Rotation and Alignment

Regular Wheel Alignment Checks

Since tires can be very expensive to replace, we also recommend that you have your wheel alignment checked every 2 years or every time new tires are introduced. Road hazards like potholes, curbs, and unexpected road debris can cause your vehicle to need regular wheel alignments when driving in the Elizabeth Pa area. Our experience has shown that many brand-new vehicles are also poorly aligned right from the factory.

Regular alignment checks allow us to inspect critical steering and suspension components for wear before they can cause unnecessary tire damage and safety hazards. If the wheel alignment is OK when it’s measured on our machine and there’s no need to make any adjustments, the reduced cost of inspection is well worth the peace of mind knowing you’re safe and your tires will last as long as possible.

Periodic Suspension Checks

Normal driving habits can cause your shocks, struts, and other suspension components to become worn and affect how straight your tires are aligned to the road which can also shorten tire life. Annual Pa State Inspections will allow us to fully inspect your steering and suspension systems and make the recommendations that are right for your needs.

Proper Flat Tire Repair

Almost any sharp object on the road can cause a puncture which will lead to a flat tire. We can repair punctures in the tire tread area only up to ¼” in diameter. We cannot perform any repairs to punctures or tears that are larger than ¼”, or any damage to the tire’s shoulder and sidewall to ensure your safety. All of our tire repairs are done according to acceptable tire repair standards using a plug patch combination that will keep your valuable tire warranty intact.

Tire Pressure Monitor Systems (TPMS)

All new cars and light trucks made since 2008 have come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, or “TPMS”. The TPMS system is a miniature electronic tire pressure gauge in each wheel which detects when a tire becomes under-inflated and lights up a warning light on the dash. Since under inflated tires can be a real safety concern for everyone, it’s important to pay attention to these lights and have them serviced right away.

There are also positive environmental effects because under inflated tires are a significant drag on your car and will waste fuel. You will lose about 1 percent of your fuel economy for every 3 pounds of pressure below what is stated on your driver’s door pillar or owner’s manual. So proper tire inflation can save you approximately a tank of gas a year. And your tires will last longer so you won’t have to replace them as often, saving money on gas and tire replacement.

Since the batteries in your tire pressure monitors have an expected life of about 5-7 years, you’ll have to replace them as they wear out. Road salt, corrosion, moisture and impacts like potholes and curbs can damage sensors too. Usinh Nitrogen in your tires will help you maintain a more stable pressure than regular air, preventing more frequent trips to the air pump when the temperatures start to go up and down.

When you’re ready for new tires, Elizabeth Auto Care is your best choice for all family cars, SUVs vans and trucks. While we can install any major brand tire like Goodyear, Michelin, BF Goodrich, Continental, Hankook, Nokian, Bridgestone, Uniroyal, Firestone, Dunlop, Pirelli and General tires, we highly recommend the Cooper Tire line. So if you’re looking for new tires, a tire repair, tire rotation or tire service in Elizabeth Pa., our expert mechanics are ASE Certified and ready to help you make the right choice for your family.

Call, Text or Email us to schedule your appointment or ask any questions you may have about tire replacement and tire repair services in Elizabeth at:
(412) 384-7700 Voice
(412) 879-0171 Text